1993 Base Set Cards and Prices
The 1993 Topps baseball card set featured 660 total cards and was one of the most popular and valuable sets of the 1990s. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key rookies, stars, and rare variations from the ’93 Topps set and how much their cards can fetch on the current market.
One of the biggest rookie cards in the ’93 Topps set is Ken Griffey Jr. who was already establishing himself as one of the game’s biggest stars. Griffey’s rookie card is one of the most iconic and valuable cards in baseball history. In pristine near-mint to mint condition, Griffey’s ’93 Topps rookie will fetch anywhere from $300-500 raw or up to $1,000 or more if graded high by PSA or BGS. Even in worn condition, Griffey rookies still sell in the $50-150 range.
Another premier rookie in the set is Juan González who would go on to win back-to-back AL MVP awards in ’96-97 with the Texas Rangers. González’s rookie is highly sought after, with near-mint copies selling in the $75-150 range and mint graded versions reaching over $250. Also keep an eye out for the emerging rookie stars like Eddie Murray ($15-40 raw), Juan Guzmán ($5-20), Darren Daulton ($5-15), and Paul Molitor’s ($5-15) early Toronto Blue Jays cards.
Of course, all-time greats like Ken Griffey Sr. (#122 – $5-20), Barry Bonds (#255 – $15-50), Cal Ripken Jr. (#184 – $5-15), Tom Glavine (#358 – $5-15), and Derek Jeter’s (#551 – $15-30) rookie card still hold value among collectors despite their ubiquity in the set. Key star cards like Frank Thomas (#278 – $20-50), Mark McGwire (#271 – $15-40), Greg Maddux (#339 – $15-30), and Jimmy Key (#350 $5-15) also demand higher prices.
The ’93 design featured basic white borders and team logo foilstamping on the front. Some key variations increase the value of certain cards significantly. The ultra-rare blank backed Cal Ripken Jr. error is truly one to seek out, valued anywhere from $5,000-10,000 in top grade. You’ll also want to look out for Ted Williams’ card (#210) with an omitted “19” in the copyright, increasing its value to around $200-250 graded.
Other notable rookie variations include Juan González’ error card missing the ‘3’ in ‘1993’ on the front, valued at $500+ graded. Julio Franco’s rookie is also missing the ‘3’ in ‘1993’ bumping it up to $150-250 graded. Keep an eye out also for Derek Jeter’s card with no foil logo on the front, valued around $150 or more graded. And if you happen upon Barry Bonds’ card with an omitted foilstamp, that’s valued between $1,000-2,000 near-mint or graded.
Rarer short prints like Warren Newson (#647) and Joe Oliver (#650) should sell for $50-150 each graded, while the super-shortprints like Bobby Witt (#249), David Nied (#609), and Brant Brown (#618) will fetch up upwards of $300 in top condition, often more if professionally graded. Add to that the incredibly rare Brett Butler giveaway card, which carries a market price of $3,000-5,000 and clearly 1993 Topps still offers myriad opportunities for collectors.
Condition, of course, is key when pricing vintage cardboard like these 1993s which are now 30 years old. But even well-loved copies still maintain value thanks to the combination of star power, design aesthetics, and chasing variations that the set provides. With the recent surge of renewed collector interest across the broader vintage and vintage-adjacent card space, ’93 Topps values are sure to remain steady or potentially appreciate further still in the years to come, especially for the elite rookie crop headlined by Ken Griffey Jr. So it remains one of the most rewarding sets from the junk wax era to search, complete, and hold long term for both enjoyment and collection building.
